What's Up? - 15 May 2017

Black text comes from the agenda
Blue text are my current comments
Purple text are from my former comments
Brown text comes from the support documents. 

What's Coming Up?

COUNCIL WORK MEETING

11:30 AM, Tuesday, May 16th, City Conference Room, 351 West Center

1. Discuss the feasibility review of a new city center and public safety complex
   
   Our current City Center, which holds our city hall and city offices, is 45 years old and is roughly one-third the size of what a 2013 study found that we need. There are also life-safety issues. Any earthquake large enough to need an emergency response center would likely collapse our center and bury everyone in it. The Administration is exploring options, and will present what they have found so far.
2. A discussion regarding the proposed FY 2018 Tentative Budget
   Two weeks ago the budget proposal was finalized. We have now had some time to review it. We will be discussing it in this meeting as well as at a morning long budget retreat in June.
3. A presentation from the Water Division
   This is the sixth, and I believe last, in a series of presentations to help the Council better understand the challenges and opportunities facing the Water Division.
4. A discussion on sanitation rates and an update on composting
   I believe we are in year four of a five year utility rate increase plan. This year calls for a 10% increase in our sanitation rates (trash, household recycling, yard waste). Various proposals are being made on how to best structure our rates and rate increases.
5. Steven Sweetwood requests a Zone Change from the Heavy Commercial (CM) Zone to the Low Density Residential (LDR) Zone for 0.279 acres of property located at 801 West 500 South. Franklin Neighborhood.
   The subject property is a vacated portion of former 800 West right-of-way between the Southern Pacific Railroad and 500 South. Mr. Sweetwood has previously received approval for the development of a used car sales lot and office. When he became aware that the neighborhood plan recommended the LDR Zone as the future zoning for the property and surrounding area he made the decision to pursue the development of townhomes on the property. The property is bordered to the east and west by single family homes and to the south across the railroad by former commercial manufacturing facilities.
   The neighborhood chair is supportive, the Planning Commission unanimously recommends it.
6. Ken Menlove requests Street Vacation of 1780 South running west from Industrial Parkway to facilitate development of self-storage units on 4.79 acres of land in the Planned Industrial Commercial Zone. East Bay Neighborhood.
   
   Seems reasonable to me. I haven't heard any concerns from the public. The Planning Commission unanimously recommends it.
7. A discussion on an ordinance amending Provo City Code to change yard requirements in the one-family residential zone.
   We continued this again at our last Council meeting. You can read about it here (item 5 in the evening meeting). Since then a subcommittee has met to work out a proposal for the rest of the Council.
8. Closed Meeting

COUNCIL MEETING

5:30 PM, Tuesday, May 16th, Council Chambers, 351 West Center

1. A presentation on the Employee of the Month for April 2017.
   
   Public Comment
2. A resolution approving the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for the fiscal year 2017-2018 ending on June 30, 2018.
3. A resolution approving the HOME Investment and Partnerships (HOME) Program for the fiscal year 2017-2018 ending on June 30, 2018.
   I'm surprised at these two items. It appears that we are being asked to approve these two proposals, without discussing them previously, like in a Work meeting. Take a look at the documents for the CDBG proposal. Or the HOME proposal. That's a lot of material to absorb without having a good opportunity to ask questions before being asked to consider passing it in a Council meeting.
4. An ordinance amending Provo City Code to allow the Low Density Residential (LDR), Medium Density Residential (MDR), and High Density Residential (HDR) zones to be permitted for the Special Development Plan Overlay zone. City-wide Impact.
   See item 7 (and 9) in the Work meeting on May 2nd.
5. An ordinance to amend the General Plan text regarding land use for the northeast corner of 3700 North University Avenue to allow Retail Commercial, Professional Office, and Residential land uses. Riverbottoms Neighborhood.
   See item 8 (and 9) in the Work meeting on May 2nd.
6. An ordinance amending the Zone Map Classification of approximately four acres of real property, generally located at the northeast corner of 3700 North University Avenue, from Agriculture (A1.5) to Specialty Support Commercial (SSC), Professional Office (PO), and Low Density Residential (LDR), with a Specific Development Plan (SDP) Overlay. Riverbottoms Neighborhood.
   See item 9 in the Work meeting on May 2nd. It has a unanimous recommendation from the Planning Commission.
7. An ordinance amending Provo City Code to allow apartment units and change various requirements in the PRO-R22 zone. Riverbottoms Neighborhood.
   This issue was continued in our April 11th Council meeting. Since then another set of revisions were made to the proposal, and it went back through the neighborhood and the Planning Commission. I believe the major change was for the four-unit mansion houses on the north side of 4750 N have been replaced by single family residences. I personally believe that the owners on the south side of that street would be better served by the mansion houses. The area is nearing a point when redevelopment could occur and the owners might find more value in smoothing the transition between the apartments to the north and the single family homes further south. But, if that is what the owners along 4750 N want, and they have found a compromise with the applicant, I won't stand in the way.
   Previous incarnations of this proposal had a split Planning Commission vote, and a 3-2 vote against recommendtion. This time it found a unanimous recommendation.
8. A public hearing regarding a proposed expansion of the Foothill Park Parking Permit Area.
   The purpose is to inform Council of the proposed parking area that the Council Office received a petition in February 2017. The residents of the area have brought the proposal forward on their own and the public hearing solely for the purpose of establishing public interest. If Council is interested in moving this item forward, they must make a motion to direct a study that the proposed parking permit area being undertaken. The Parking Committee is the body that reviews the application/petition. After they have a recommendation, they will submit a report and will review the report in a public hearing. A third public hearing is held thereafter to formalize the parking permit area. 
9. An ordinance amending Provo City Code to change yard requirements in the one-family residential zone.
   See item 7 in the earlier meeting.
10. An ordinance amending Provo City Code regarding Mayoral compensation.
    See the next item's description.
11. An ordinance amending Provo City Code regarding Municipal Council members' compensation.
    This is what I wrote after the Elected Officials Compensation Commission reported their recommendations at the 21 March Council Meeting.
    The Commission recommends raising the mayoral compensation from $109,500 to $120,000. It recommends raising the council compensation from $12,485 to $18,000. The mayoral compensation was last adjusted in 2013. If I heard right, the last time the council compensation was adjusted was in 2007 and it was a "cost of living adjustment". The Commission based its recommendations on the compensation of comparably sized cities around the State and also noted that the responsibilities of the Mayor and Council are greater than most cities because we run a power department and an airport.
    It doesn't surprise me that the council compensation lags behind other cities, even though we are asked to do more. Our Councilors are very concerned about the frugal use of public money. My guess is that even now many will not want to accept more money from the City. Of all the areas to "cut" during the budget process, a pay increase for ourselves will be the easiest.
    No Councilor runs for the money, but it can help take the edge off of the lost income caused by the time off work. The problem is that there is a large swath of our community who cannot take hundreds of hours off of their "day job" without some compensation. If Council members aren't compensated reasonably then Council service may become the domain of retirees and the independently wealthy. I believe that we should accept the Commission's recommendation to open the service opportunity to more people. I will suggest that any Councilor who is uncomfortable with the increase can donate it to the Provo City Foundation, or another charity.
12. A resolution tentatively adopting a proposed budget for Provo City Corporation for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2017 and ending June 30, 2018.
    See the item 14's description.
13. A resolution tentatively adopting a proposed budget for the Redevelopment Agency of Provo City Corporation for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2017 and ending June 30, 2018.
    See the next item's description.
14. A resolution tentatively adopting a proposed budget for the Provo City Storm Water Special Service District for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2017 and ending June 30, 2018.
    Last Council meeting we continued these items because we had not had the opportunity to look over them yet.